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At the time of the beginning of the writing of this article, Monday Of Passion Week had entered our world’s earliest time zone. The opening video shows Christ cleansing the temple in Jerusalem, and the reaction of the chief priests and scribes. This is the second cleansing of the temple by Christ; the first one occurring in John 2:12-21. The second major event that took place on this particular Monday was that of Christ cursing the fig tree. No suitable video could be found for the cursing of the fig tree.

Passion Week/Holy Week

Passion Week (also known as Holy Week) is the time from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday. Also included within Passion Week are Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Spy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. Passion Week is so named because of the passion with which Jesus willingly went to the cross in order to pay for the sins of His people. Passion Week is described in Matthew chapters 21-27; Mark chapters 11-15; Luke chapters 19-23; and John chapters 12-19. Passion Week begins with the triumphal entry on Palm Sunday on the back of a colt as prophesied in Zechariah 9:9. (Per the following link, https://www.gotquestions.org/Passion-Week.html)

Holy Monday is the last Monday prior to Easter Sunday; it is the second day of Holy Week after Palm Sunday. Some denominations celebrate Holy Monday, and some do not. The Eastern Orthodox Church observes the day, typically marking it with Bible readings and certain hymns.

According to tradition, Holy Monday is the day on which Jesus cleansed the temple, was praised by local children, and cursed the fig tree (Matthew 21:12–22). It is the day following Palm Sunday, when Jesus came to Jerusalem in the triumphal entry (Matthew 21:1–11). The following day is sometimes referred to as Holy Tuesday, the third day of Holy Week. (Per the following link, https://www.gotquestions.org/Holy-Monday.html)

Each day’s activities of Passion Week is identified, by day of the week, in the Ryrie Study Bible (Dr. Charles C. Ryrie, Deceased. See bio below). Dr. Ryrie chose the Gospel Of Luke to show, day by day, the things that happened during Passion Week. He also used the other three gospels for supportive information. Consider the following outline.

Scriptures in this study are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, and gathered from Bible Gateway. The Bible Gateway link is https://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway has basic and expanded (Bible Gateway Plus) study notes. Whenever scripture passages are lengthy, in this study, a link will be provided to show those verses.

(Note. Additional scriptures have been added for Sunday in the Palm Sunday post.)

The purpose of this Passion Week study is not to conduct a verse-by-verse study of the scriptures. On the contrary, the focus will be on the major events of each day in the week that led up to the crucifixion of Christ,”on Friday.” The Friday of the death of Christ on the cross has come to be known by many as “Good Friday.” But! How great the hypocrisy has become! On each Good Friday, people who attend the liberal churches that see nothing wrong with killing unborn babies in the wombs of their mothers, flock to the Good Friday services that take place in their liberal church buildings! If there is a need for a detailed study of the scriptures of Passion Week, a search of this blog will provide such exegesis and hermeneutics.

Exegesis means “exposition or explanation.” Biblical exegesis involves the examination of a particular text of scripture in order to properly interpret it. Exegesis is a part of the process of hermeneutics, the science of interpretation. A person who practices exegesis is called an exegete. (Per the following link, https://www.gotquestions.org/Biblical-exegesis.html)

Biblical hermeneutics is the study of the principles and methods of interpreting the text of the Bible. Second Timothy 2:15 commands believers to be involved in hermeneutics: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who . . . correctly handles the word of truth.” The purpose of biblical hermeneutics is to help us to know how to properly interpret, understand, and apply the Bible. (Per the following link, https://www.gotquestions.org/Biblical-hermeneutics.html)

At the time of the writing of this article, Sunday, Palm Sunday, has entered into many time zones around our world. The opening video shows Christ entering into Jerusalem, on Palm Sunday, with the acceptance of “rock star status.” Oh! How quickly things will change. During the next six days, Christ will see his “approval rating” dropping greatly! By Friday, the call of the crowds is, “crucify Him!” (Matthew 27:22, Mark 15:13, Luke 23:21, John 19:6).

Passion Week/Holy Week

Passion Week (also known as Holy Week) is the time from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday (Resurrection Sunday). Also included within Passion Week are Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Spy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. Passion Week is so named because of the passion with which Jesus willingly went to the cross in order to pay for the sins of His people. Passion Week is described in Matthew chapters 21-27; Mark chapters 11-15; Luke chapters 19-23; and John chapters 12-19. Passion Week begins with the triumphal entry on Palm Sunday on the back of a colt as prophesied in Zechariah 9:9. (Per the following link, https://www.gotquestions.org/Passion-Week.html)

Palm Sunday is the day we celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, one week before His resurrection (Matthew 21:1–11). As Jesus entered the holy city, He neared the culmination of a long journey toward Golgotha. He had come to save the lost (Luke 19:10), and now was the time—this was the place—to secure that salvation. Palm Sunday marked the start of what is often called “Passion Week,” the final seven days of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Palm Sunday was the “beginning of the end” of Jesus’ work on earth. (Per the following link, https://www.gotquestions.org/Palm-Sunday.html)

Each day’s activities of Passion Week is identified, by day of the week, in the Ryrie Study Bible (Dr. Charles C. Ryrie, Deceased. See bio below). Dr. Ryrie chose the Gospel Of Luke to show, day by day, the things that happened during Passion Week. He also used the other three gospels for supportive information. It is also important to see that which was written about Saturday, the day before Palm Sunday. It was on that particular Saturday that Christ was in Bethany at the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus (six days before Passover). It was on the next day that Christ and His disciples entered Jerusalem (Palm Sunday). Consider the following outline.

Scriptures in this study are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, and gathered from Bible Gateway. The Bible Gateway link is https://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway has basic and expanded (Bible Gateway Plus) study notes. Whenever scripture passages are lengthy, in this study, a link will be provided to show those verses.

The purpose of this Passion Week study is not to conduct a verse-by-verse study of the scriptures. To the contrary, the focus will be on the major events of each day in the week that led up to the crucifixion of Christ,”on Friday.” The Friday of the death of Christ on the cross has come to be known by many as “Good Friday.” But! How great the hypocrisy has become! On each Good Friday, people who attend the liberal churches that see nothing wrong with killing unborn babies in the wombs of their mothers, flock to the Good Friday services that take place in their liberal church buildings! If there is a need for a detailed study of the scriptures of Passion Week, a search of this blog will provide such exegesis and hermeneutics.

Exegesis means “exposition or explanation.” Biblical exegesis involves the examination of a particular text of scripture in order to properly interpret it. Exegesis is a part of the process of hermeneutics, the science of interpretation. A person who practices exegesis is called an exegete. (Per the following link, https://www.gotquestions.org/Biblical-exegesis.html)

Biblical hermeneutics is the study of the principles and methods of interpreting the text of the Bible. Second Timothy 2:15 commands believers to be involved in hermeneutics: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who . . . correctly handles the word of truth.” The purpose of biblical hermeneutics is to help us to know how to properly interpret, understand, and apply the Bible. (Per the following link, https://www.gotquestions.org/Biblical-hermeneutics.html)

As this article is being written, the Jewish Sabbath has entered into many of the world’s time zones. Sabbath begins at sunset on Friday of each week, and continues until sunset of the following day, Saturday.

Shabbat Information

Shabbat (also known as “Shabbos” or the “Sabbath”) is the centerpiece of Jewish life, and has been so since the infancy of our nation. According to the Talmud, Shabbat is equal to all the other commandments. Shabbat is so central to Jewish life. Shabbat is the centerpiece of Jewish life that the term shomer Shabbat (Shabbat observer) is synonymous with “religious Jew” in common parlance.

Shabbat is a day of rest and celebration that begins on Friday at sunset and ends on the following evening after nightfall.

This study of the Jewish prophet Joel relates to prophecies that will be fulfilled in times that are futuristic. The previous study of Joel discusses prophecies that are historic, going as far back as 722 B.C. Check the following link for the introduction to Joel and the discussion of the historic fulfillment of the prophecies of Joel.

Joel 1:1-14 The Plague Of Locusts – This was a literal invasion of locusts. The locusts (v 4) were descriptive of the future destruction in “The Day Of The Lord.” The historic prophecy was fulfilled in the immediate destruction of the locusts. However, the futuristic fulfillment will occur in the Great Tribulation. The verses can be seen by clicking onto the following link.

Joel 1:6 “For a nation has invaded My land, powerful and without number;
its teeth are the teeth of a lion, and it has the fangs of a lioness.”

My note. The land is God’s land, Israel.

MacArthur note. 1:6 a nation. A literal invasion of locusts pictured the kind of destruction and judgment inflicted by human armies.

Terms: The rapture of the church/the catching up of the believers In Christ (John 14:1-6). Left behind unbelievers going through the total tribulation (Revelation 6:1-16:21, being directed by God on left-behind unbelievers; Rev 6:1; 8:5; 16:1). Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21). Second Coming Of Christ to Earth (Matthew 24:29). Judgment Of Christ on the gentile nations (the unbelieving gentiles that were left behind from the rapture); those whom had not shown compassion on the Jews during the tribulation (Matthew 25:31-46).

Joel 1:15-20 The Plague Of Drought – “The Day Of The Lord” indicates that the destruction will come from God. The verses can be seen by clicking onto the following link.

Joel 1:15 Woe because of that day! For the Day of the Lord is near and will come as devastation from the Almighty

MacArthur note. 1:15 the day of the Lord is at hand. This is the first occurrence of the theme, “the Day of the Lord” (the occasion when God pours out His wrath on man) results in blessing and exoneration for God’s people and judgment toward Gentiles (Is. 13:6; Ezek. 30:3), but here Joel directs the warning toward his own people. The Day of the Lord is speedily approaching; unless sinners repent, dire consequences await them. destruction from the Almighty. The Heb. term “destruction” forms a powerful play on words with the “Almighty.” The notion of invincible strength is foremost; destruction at the hand of omnipotent God is coming.

Joel 2:18-27 The Promise Of Restoration – This prophecy began its fulfillment after the Jews were given permission by the Persian King Cyrus to return to their homeland from their Babylonian Captivity (538 B.C.). Therefore, in relation to the time of Joel’s prophecy, it is discussed in a futuristic sense. The verses can be seen by clicking onto the following link.

MacArthur note. 2:18—3:21 With the advent of v. 18, the text makes a decisive transition, devoting the remainder of the book to restoration. It assumes an interval of time between v. 17 and v. 18 during which Israel repented. As a result of her repentance, the 3 major concerns of 1:1–2:17 are answered by the Lord: physical restoration (2:21–27), spiritual restoration (2:28–32), and national restoration (3:1–21).

The final restoration will occur after the second coming of Christ, when he is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords (Rev 19:6), and when He rules over the whole world during the 1,000 year millennium.

Joel 2:28-32 The Promise Of The Holy Spirit – On the Day Of Pentecost (30 A.D.), the apostle Peter made reference to Joel 2:28-32, in response to the events of Acts 2:1-14. In Peter’s sermon (Acts 2:15-21) he made reference to the Joel prophecy, but it was clear that its total fulfillment had not yet come. Many Jews accepted Christ as Lord and Savior on the Day Of Pentecost. But, the nation of Israel, “as a nation,” to include its religious leaders, failed to accept Christ. The ultimate repentance of Israel, and its acceptance of Christ as Lord and Savior, will occur as prophesied in Zechariah 12:10-13 soon before the second coming of Christ to Earth. This prophecy will be revealed to include supernatural revelation, miraculous events in the heaven and earth, and opening the day of salvation to all who will call on the Name of the Lord (Romans 10:13). The verses can be seen by clicking onto the following link:

2:28 afterward. The abundance of material blessings would be followed by the outpouring of spiritual blessings. When coupled with the other temporal phrases within the passage (“in those days” [v. 29] and “before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the Lord” [v. 31]), the term points to a Second Advent fulfillment time frame. all flesh. Since the context is “your sons and your daughters,” “all flesh” best refers to the house of Israel only. The nations are the recipients of God’s wrath, not the effusion of His Spirit (cf. 3:2, 9ff.).

2:30, 31 Before…day of the Lord. Unmistakable heavenly phenomena will signal the imminent arrival of God’s wrath in the Day of the Lord (cf. v. 10; see note on 1:15).

Joel 3:1-3 – This prophecy will be fulfilled at the second coming of Christ (Matthew 25:31-46), with the Judgment of the nations taking place. The verses can be seen by clicking onto the following link.

MacArthur note. 3:9–17 Joel resumes the theme of vv. 1–3, the gathering of the nations to the earthly courtroom, the Valley of Jehoshaphat. The sentence has been handed down and the Judge orders His agents to ready the scene for the execution.

Joel 3:16-21 – This prophecy discusses the blessings that will come from God on Israel in the end times, leading up to and during the time of the Millennium. The promises relate to the redeemed people of Israel, as opposed to those Jews whom had rejected Christ. Judah will inhabit Jerusalem forever. The blessings will come before and after the second coming of Christ, when He is known as “the” King of Kings and, “the” Lord of Lords (Rev 19:16). The verses can be seen by clicking onto the following link.

As of the time of this writing, the Sabbath has entered the eastern time zone of the United States. The video of this article shows a Jewish family celebrating Sabbath. It is from Friday at sunset until Saturday at sunset that Jews honor the Sabbath. If you have any Jewish friends, a welcome greeting is “Shabbat Shalom,” which means “Sabbath of peace.” Passover 2018 will be celebrated from sunset on March 30 through sunset on April 7.

Consider the following verses that relate to Sabbbath and Jews. The discussion of Joel follows the verses.

“I also gave them My Sabbaths to serve as a sign between Me and them, so they will know that I am Yahweh who sets them apart as holy.” Ezekiel 20:12-17 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) (Israel is the object of God’s gift of holiness. The sabbath is an eternal sign between God and the Jews, per Exodus 31:12-17.)

Exodus 31:12-17 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Observing the Sabbath

12 The Lord said to Moses: 13 “Tell the Israelites: You must observe My Sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, so that you will know that I am Yahweh who sets you apart. 14 Observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you….” 16 The Israelites must observe the Sabbath, celebrating it throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign forever between Me and the Israelites, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.”

References for study of Joel

Scriptures in this study are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, and gathered from Bible Gateway. Notes that are taken from the MacArthur Study Bible, are also gathered from Bible Gateway. Everyone should own a MacArthur Study Bible. The Bible Gateway link is https://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway has basic and expanded (Bible Gateway Plus) study notes. Whenever scripture passages are lengthy, in this study, a link will be provided to show those verses.

Introduction To Joel Teaching

The prophecies of Joel are organized in the following order: future, history, future, history, and future. Past events relate to the Assyrian and Babylonian invasions of Israel, as well as to the atrocities that came upon Israel by the Greeks under the hand of Alexander the Great (336-323 B.C.). The Assyrians invaded the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 B.C. Those ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, also known as Israel and Samaria, were deported to Assyria. Soon after the deportation of the Jews from their homeland, the Assyrians began moving pagans into those vacated Jewish lands. Those northern tribes of deported Jews are often known as “the lost tribes of Israel.” https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/ask-the-expert-lost-tribes/
The northern tribes were dispersed, and became absorbed into the surrounding pagan cultures. There was a small, nearly invisible, remnant that continued to maintain a form of Jewish identity, many of whom migrated south into the Kingdom of Judah. As a pure Jewish entity, the lost tribes never returned to their covenant land. The Babylonians invaded the Southern Kingdom of Israel in 586 B.C., and deported those Jews to Babylon. Those tribes of Judah and Benjamin had occupied the land that surrounds Jerusalem, which was known as Judah. The united empire of Media-Persia conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. In 538 B.C., the Persian King Cyrus allowed the captive Jews of the Southern Kingdom of Israel/Judah to return to their covenant home land. However, most of those Jews chose to remain in Persia. It is from that time forward (538 B.C.) that the prophecies of Joel, which lead to the final restoration of Israel, began to develop. However, all of prophecy began after the fall of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:15), and will find its completion in the new heavens, new earth and new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1-5).

Of key significance in the study of Joel is the order of dates. Per the date of the Book Of Joel (835 B.C., Ryrie Study Bible), the prophecies that are identified as being historic, “to us,” were actually futuristic to the prophet Joel. For instance, Joel’s prophecy of the Assyrian invasion of the Northern Kingdom of Israel was given 113 years prior to the 722 B.C. invasion. Additionally, Joel’s prophecy of the Babylonian invasion of the Southern Kingdom was given 249 years prior to the 586 B.C. invasion. Also, the prophecy that dealt with Alexander The Great, of the Greek Empire, was given 499 years prior to the reign of that Jewish oppressor, whose reign lasted from 336 B.C. to 323 B.C. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/gkru/hd_gkru.htm The time until the final restoration of Israel in the Millennium is yet unknown. But, that teaching is still pertinent to the prophetic teaching of Joel.

All too often sermons, and other teachings, have no bearing on the prophecies that are the main thrust of Joel’s prophecy. More often than not, the teachings of Joel are put in a context of daily life in the church, with no mention being made of the facts of prophecy. It is because of such a lack of proper teaching of Joel, and other books of prophecy, that most Christians are biblically ignorant of most prophetic facts.

The Scofield Study Bible divides the Book of Joel into three parts:

I. The Present Chastisement And Its Removal (Joel 1:1-2:27).

II. The Promise Of The Spirit (Joel 2:28-29).

III. The Future Deliverance In The Coming Day Of The Lord (Joel 2:30-3:21).

The following sources of information are useful in the study of the Book of Joel.

Dr. David E. Malick

I. TITLE OF THE BOOK

A. In Hebrew the title comes of the prophetic author, lway , the combination of two names of God–Yahweh &amp; Elohim. The affirmation is probably “Yahweh is God.” This is the reverse of Elijah (“God is Yahweh”)

B. In Greek the title is simply a transliteration of the Hebrew IWHL

II. AUTHOR: Joel

A. Nothing is know about Joel other than his being the son of Pethuel (who is also unknown) 1:1

B. He was from Judah

C. Perhaps references to Jerusalem indicate that he was from Jerusalem

The Day Of The Lord – The Day Of the Lord may refer to a specific day, or to an extended period of time. Such a time-frame extends from the Rapture of the Church, to the end of the millennial kingdom (1 Thessalonians 5:1-9; 2 Peter 3:10-13).

Equipping Outline

The prophecies of Joel will be discussed as they relate to events of the past, or to those that will be reveled in the future. Prophecy scriptures will be grouped in this study, by History or Future.

The Prophet. His name means “done,” and he is the son of Amittai. His home was Gath-hepher, a village of Zebulun, and he, therefore, belonged to the ten tribes and not to Judah. He is first mentioned in 2 Kings 14:28, where he prophesied the success of Jeroboam II, in his war with Syria, by which he would restore the territory that other nations had wrested from Israel. He very likely prophesied at an early date, though all attempts to determine the time of his prophecy or the time and place of his death have failed.

The Prophecy. It differs from all the other prophecies in that it is a narrative and more “the history of a prophecy than prophecy itself”. All the others are taken up chiefly with prophetic utterances, while this book records the experiences and work of Jonah, but tells us little of his utterances. The story of Jonah has been compared to those of Elijah and Elisha (1 Kings 17-19, and 2 Kings 4-6).

Although full of the miraculous element, the evident purpose is to teach great moral and spiritual lessons, and it is unfortunate that its supernatural element has made this book the subject of infidel attack. But the facts, though extraordinary, are in no way contradictory or inconsistent. Indeed, Mr. Driver has well said that “no doubt the outlines of the narrative are historical.” Christ spoke of Jonah and accredited it by likening his own death for three days to Jonah’s three days in the fish’s belly. It is the most “Christian” of all the Old Testament books, its central truth being the universality of the divine plan of redemption. Nowhere else in the Old Testament is such stress laid upon the love of God as embracing in its scope the whole human race.

“Today, the ancient ruins of Nineveh are located just opposite of the present day city of Mosul.” (…taken from the section of the above link, “the Assyrian Empire;” check out the map to see the location being in northwestern Iraq. Mosul was a hot bed of news reports after the 911 attack on the Twin Towers in New York City.) http://www.bible-history.com/biblestudy/nineveh.html

“Three Days And Three Nights ”

The following verse of scripture, in the Book of Jonah, is the one that Christ used to tell of his death, burial and resurrection, “Three Days And Three Nights” is explained in this article.

Jonah 1:17 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

17 Now the Lord had appointed a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the fish three days and three nights.

Jonah 2:1,2 -10 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Jonah’s Prayer

1 Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish:

2 I called to the Lord in my distress, and He answered me …..

10 Then the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

1:17 a great fish. The species of fish is uncertain; the Heb. word for whale is not here employed. God sovereignly prepared (lit. “appointed”) a great fish to rescue Jonah. Apparently Jonah sank into the depth of the sea before the fish swallowed him (cf. 2:3, 5, 6). three days and three nights. See note on Matt. 12:40. MacArthur Study Note.

In the following verses, Christ uses the account of Jonah 1:17 to tell of his death, burial and resurrection. The audience was that of Jewish religious leaders.

Matthew 12:38-41 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

The Sign of Jonah

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”

39 But He answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at Jonah’s proclamation; and look—something greater than Jonah is here!

MacArthur Study Note

12:40 three days and three nights. Quoted from Jon. 1:17. This sort of expression was a common way of underscoring the prophetic significance of a period of time. An expression like “forty days and forty nights” (see note on 4:2) may in some cases simply refer to a period of time longer than a month. “Three days and three nights” was an emphatic way of saying “three days,” and by Jewish reckoning this would be an apt way of expressing a period of time that includes parts of 3 days. Thus, if Christ was crucified on a Friday, and His resurrection occurred on the first day of the week, by Hebrew reckoning this would qualify as 3 days and 3 nights. All sorts of elaborate schemes have been devised to suggest that Christ might have died on a Wednesday or Thursday, just to accommodate the extreme literal meaning of these words. But the original meaning would not have required that sort of wooden interpretation. See note on Luke 13:32.

The Ryrie Study Bible breaks down the activities of each of the days of Passion Week. The events of Passion Week show the fulfillment of Jonah 1:17. This particular time of the feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread occurred in 30 A.D. (Passover, Leviticus 23:4-5; Unleavened Bread, Leviticus 23:6-8).

Palm Sunday: Luke 19:28-44 (The Sunday prior to the crucifixion of Christ; The triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem)

Monday:Luke 19:45-48. (The Cleansing Of The Temple. This is the second cleansing of the temple by Christ; see John 2:13-25 for the first cleansing.)

Tuesday: Luke 20:1-21:38. (The Questioning Of Christ By The Jewish Leaders)

vs 54: “it was the Preparation Day (Friday afternoon), and the Sabbath (Sunset on Friday) drew near.

A more detailed look at vs 55-56 provides a closer view of the happenings of that Friday afternoon.

Luke 23:55-56 New King James Version (NKJV)

55 And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.

Mac Arthur Study Bible comment follows. Please read it carefully.

23:55 observed…how His body was laid. According to John 19:39, Nicodemus brought a hundred pounds of spices and aloes (probably obtained while Joseph was negotiating with Pilate for Jesus’ body), and he and Joseph wrapped the body with linen and the spices. These women, from Galilee, were probably unfamiliar with Joseph and Nicodemus, who were Judeans. After all, both men were associated with the Jewish leaders who orchestrated the conspiracy against Jesus (v. 50; John 3:1). So the women were determined to prepare Jesus’ body for burial themselves. So they returned (i.e., went to their homes) to prepare their own spices and perfumes (v. 56). They had to have Jesus’ body placed in the tomb before sunset, when the Sabbath began, so they were not able to finish preparing the body. Mark 16:1 says they purchased more spices “when the Sabbath was past,” i.e., after sundown Saturday. Then they returned Sunday morning with the spices (24:1), expecting to finish the task that had been interrupted by the Sabbath.

My note: The women saw the body of Christ being laid in a burial tomb. It was Friday afternoon, prior to sunset, when the women saw the body of Christ being taken from the cross to the tomb. Without a doubt, the women saw Christ being crucified on Friday. Without a doubt, the women saw Christ being placed in a burial tomb on Friday, before the beginning of the Sabbath. Without a doubt, Christ was not crucified on any day of the week, except Friday.

Key elements of Friday of Passion Week is discussed in the Gospel of John, Chapters 18-19.(Ryrie Study Bible).

The Arrest Of Christ: John 18:1-11.

The Trial Of Christ Before Annas: John 18:12-23.

The Trial Of Christ Before Caiaphas: John 18:24-27.

The Trial Of Christ Before Pilate: John 18:28-19:1-16. (19:14 identifies Friday as being the “Day Of Preparation,” which precedes the onset of the sunset arrival of the Sabbath). (Luke 23:54 shows the sixth hour of the day as being Noon).

The Crucifixion Of Christ: John 19:17-37 (from the sixth until the ninth hour, noon until three P.M.). 19:31: It was the Day Of Preparation (Friday); the bodies on the cross would have to be removed and buried prior to the onset of the Sabbath (Friday at sunset). 19:31: the day preceded the Sabbath Day, a High Sabbath; i.e., the first day of the Feast Of Unleavened Bread fell that year on a Sabbath, making it a “high” or “special” festival. (Ryrie Study Bible)

The Burial Of Christ: John 19:38-42. (vs 41-42 explain the importance of the burial tomb being close to the place of crucifixion, with the crucifixion having taken place on the Day Of Preparation, prior to sunset on Friday). (Ryrie Study Bible)

In the year 760 B.C., God saved Jonah, “a Jew,” from bodily death. In the year 30 A.D., Christ, also a Jew, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23), saved Jonah from the eternal death of body, soul and spirit; this was done through His finished work: “Christ on the cross,” “it is finished” (John 19:30).

Don’t Say Easter!

Nowhere in the gospel accounts is there a statement that the day that Christ rose from death was called Easter. Nowhere in the books of Acts through Revelation is there a statement that the day that Christ rose from death was Easter. It is only in the King James Version that Easter is used, but not to relate to the resurrection of Christ. In the King James Version, Acts 12:4 erroneously uses “Easter” to relate to Passover. The resurrection of Christ is remembered by followers of Christ, one day each year, in honor of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. The feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread extend for eight consecutive days, celebrating God’s deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt. Easter relates to a pagan celebration.

Acts 12:4 King James Version (KJV) (42 A.D., Scofield Study Bible)

4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

Even the New King James Version uses the word, “Passover.”

Acts 12:4 New King James Version (NKJV)

4 So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.

The context of Acts 12:4 shows nothing of the glorious resurrection of Christ, but of the persecution of believers of Christ.

Acts 12:1-4 New King James Version (NKJV)

Herod’s Violence to the Church

1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. 2 Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. 4 So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.

Easter: Consider the following from Unger’s Bible Dictionary.

“The word Easter is of Saxon origin, Eastra, the goddess of spring, in whose honor sacrifices were offered about Passover time each year. By the 8th century Anglo-Saxons had adopted the name to designate the celebration of Christ’s resurrection.”

Consider the following information that comes from the discussion of Patheos, which has a discussion of pagan holidays.

THE ORIGIN OF THE WORD “EASTER” AND THE NAMING OF THE SPRING EQUINOX OSTARA (first paragraph)

According to the British historian Bede (673-735 CE) the word “Easter” comes from the name of a Germanic fertility goddess named Eostre, whose name was given to an entire month “Eostur-month,” and then eventually to one specific holiday occurring in that month, the one we now call Easter.

So, as previously stated: Don’t say Easter! “Resurrection Sunday” explains the truth of the day that Christ arose from death.

Jews & Arabs worship together in Nazareth, Jerusalem. Their common ground is Christ.

This post introduces a series of articles that are being published in a study of the Old Testament Jewish Prophets. The focus of the study is to tie prophecies, that go back as far as 840 B.C., to future events that will affect, not only Jews, but Gentiles too.

Many people live their lives in total darkness, as it relates to their lack of understanding of the end times. As a way of illuminating such spiritual darkness, God has provided biblical prophecy. Certain Jews were chosen by God to present His Word to the Jews, whom are known in scripture as “God’s chosen people,” (Deuteronomy 7:6). The Jews were chosen by God to be a holy and righteous people, to bring a Holy and Righteous Messiah into our world. This study will focus on the prophets of Israel whom spoke words of judgment and encouragement to the Jews during the times of their being dispersed from their “God ordained land” (Genesis 15:18-21), which occurred after the death of King Solomon in 931 B.C. The prophecies in this series will be studied from the times of their being given by God to each prophet, until the times of their fulfillment.

The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. (Psalm 19:1, NKJV)

The Greek word, “apokalypsis,” is understood to mean, “disclosure, unveiling, or revelation,” and is the basis for the English word, “apocalypse.” There are many people whom are looking for an end of times destruction of all mankind, to include all of our world. “Apocalypse” is the name that is often used to identity such an “end of world event.” However, such a belief is far from the truth of the matter. The purpose of this “Revealing Israel” series of blog posts and pages is to provide credible data that will provide comfort of thought as it relates to the end of times discussion. Through the “photoworks of time studies” of times “past, present and future,” this study will reveal that there is no “end of times apocalypse” that will bring an end to our world or mankind. The role that Israel plays in end of times studies is often neglected, overlooked and attacked in our world’s political arenas, universities, and even in places of worship. Those, whom will seriously study this “Revealing Israel” series of posts and pages, will gain an understanding of the importance and events of “Israel in eschatology” that will exceed that of most of their peers, to include those on a professional level.